Source: Lee Venden: 2006-08-26: "Hard To Be Lost"
From WhyNotWiki
People often think it's easier to be lost than to be saved.
- Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
But there's also this...
- The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance
He paid a high price for us...
- Therefore we are valuable
- Therefore he's going to do everything he can to save that which he bought at so high a price.
- "And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
He's going to make it very difficult to be lost ... by putting road blocks in our way.
Contents |
[edit] The Bible
It can be a stumbling block to those going the wrong way ... even for those who don't read it!
- In courts today, witnesses swear by the Bible.
- A Gideon Bible can be found in every hotel room.
Just its presense may have an effect on sinners.
[edit] Gospel presentations/sermons
These linger in the mind long after they are heard and may come back to mind at times when needed.
[edit] Common sense
Thinking people can come to realize how empty secularism is (when you die, you become nothing more than fertilizer for the dandelions).
Even if there's only a 50% chance that there's a God, then you would be much wiser to put your money on the possibility that there is a God. Because if you live as though there is a God, you may gain everything (eternal life, etc.); if don't however, you would be missing out on everything in the end.
"But we'll miss out on all the fun that we could have had." Living for self is a miserable life. The only only way to avoid that realization is to anesthetize your self (by drinking, for example).
[edit] The prayers of others
You think it's not worth praying for others? Jesus—the best example we have (God in living flesh!)—did it, so he must have thought it was worth it.
People's hearts can be changed just by knowing that there are people praying for them.
[edit] Conscience
Every person in the world thinks/knows that there are things he should do and things he shouldn't. And if he does the things he knows he shouldn't do, he feels guilty. It's universal.
Who placed this conscience in our minds? Where did it come from?
Example of how conscience guides sinners:
- The people were going to stone the woman caught in adultery. But their consciences prevented them from doing it.
- John 7:7-9 (NIV)
- When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.
[edit] Trouble
When trouble hits, people tend to look for answers.
There is a revival of interest in spiritual things (September 11, 2001 as an example).
satan continues to give us distress, trouble... until we, like the prodigal son (Luke 15:25-32 (NIV)), turn back and go home to Jesus.
[edit] The Holy Spirit
He's working on/for us 24/7. He's persistent.
- When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment.
[edit] Calvary
[edit] Conclusion
It's hard to go up against such powerful mountains.
If you want to not be saved, you're going to have to resist:
- the prayers of friends
- 2/3 of the angels (the angels that didn't follow satan's deciptions; Revelation 12:3-4 (NIV))
- the Holy Spirit
- Jesus, who died for you (And he was willing even to die for eternity--he thought he would be separated eternally from his Father, in his last hours)
- God the Father
But if you want to be saved, all you have to resist is...
- 1/3 of the angles (the fallen angels who followed satan)
- satan
...all of whom tremble and fear God!
Which would you rather go up against?
